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Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Colorful, charming, cute, cuddly, cheeky. That's a conure for you, a smallish South American parrot with a long tail and a bold demeanor. They're one of my favorites. Their winning personalities, manageable size, and prices to fit just about any budget make them a popular first bird, but even experienced parrot people tend to find these little guys irresistible. Once you have one, you may end up a conure fan for life. They're the quintessential parrot!

Conures are often described as having "personality plus", or as "big birds in little bird suits". They aren't very large parrots, but don't tell them that! Conures have an attitude to spare, which can make them somewhat of a challenge if an owner isn't prepared to establish rules and limits. And while I think their good qualities outweigh their bad ones, they certainly aren't perfect. No one should get a conure without learning the whole story, which goes something like this: Conures are awesome birds, but they have that voice!

In most species, the normal conure voice is an ear-piercing, high-pitched, grating screech that will make even a Moluccan cockatoo sit up and take notice. And a conure that's trying to be loud will make your eyes cross. Even if you get one that isn't particularly noisy, and not all individuals are, anyone near your home will know you have a parrot. The smaller conures like the green cheeks and maroon bellies aren't quite as bad since they lack the sheer volume potential of their larger cousins. If the sound level is a concern, it would be a good idea to look into one of these little guys. Leave the suns, jendays, nandays, cherry heads, blue crowns and such to someone who can deal with the loudness.

Given the right socialization and continued training, a conure shouldn't constantly be sounding off, but as with any parrot, some noise is to be expected. The most likely time for conure cacophony is when the family comes home from work or school in the afternoon. The bird wants out and everyone is going to know it! It's not easy to ignore an insistent conure. It is easy to "spoil" him by getting him out as soon as he starts in with the racket. With our first conure, a nanday named Freddie, we learned the hard way that you shouldn't make getting a bird out of its cage the nanosecond you walk in the door your main priority! Thankfully, conures are smart, and they can be taught that their demanding tone doesn't get them what they want. It does take some patience, however, and maybe some earplugs.

Noise factor aside, you can't ask for a friendlier or more affectionate little parrot. Conures love to snuggle. Just don't go overboard with it. Conures are very portable, and they love to go where you go. But wearing a conure broach isn't a good habit to start, not only because of the fashion statement you will make--tiny holes in all your shirts--but also because of the potential for your bird to become a spoiled brat if he doesn't get to hang out with you all the time. And we're not just talking about screeching. Nippiness is the conure's other unpleasant tendency. To keep your home brat-free, it's a good idea to vary your conure time with games and tricks. Luckily most conures like to play as much as they like to cuddle.

Conures are boisterous birds and like to be active, so they need a cage that's slightly larger than what you might pick for a bird of their size. Amazon or African-grey cages are more appropriate than the cockatiel cages some owners tend to end up with. Look for a cage that's at least 2 feet wide, but take note of the bar spacing to make sure your bird can't poke his head through. Just about any type of toy goes over well and swings are usually appreciated. Also consider putting in a soft cloth or "snuggle toy", since conures like to sleep cuddled up next something. They're real softies, after all, despite that voice.

Authors: Chet Womach & Kim Bear This article was co-authored by Chet Womach and professional bird behavioral specialist Kim Bear who consults for Birdtricks.com and has helped lots of their clients who own conures.Article Source: GoArticles

Monday, September 10, 2018

A hand-raised conure will have little or no fear and should respond well to human attention. Encourage the young conure to feed from your hand at every opportunity, often with the cage door open, so that it will have no fear of your presence. Check that all doors and windows are closed. A clear glass should be screened, in case the conure fails to appreciate the presence of a barrier and tries to fly through the apparent exit. This can have fatal consequences. Any cats must be out of the room whenever the conure's cage door is opened. They should be kept apart as much as possible, since in some cases, the cat may be able to reach the conure through the bars of the cage.

Most rooms have other dangers which could prove fatal for a young conure. For this reason alone, never leave the bird free without watching its movements closely. It may attempt to gnaw through a live electrical wire or eat poisonous houseplants. An unguarded fireplace or an uncovered fish tank can spell disaster for the unwary conure as well.

On the first few occasions that you let the conure free in a room, there are likely to be problems in persuading it to return to its quarters. To lessen the risk of injury some owners like to clip the flight feathers of one of their conure's wings. This task can be easily accomplished with a pair of sharp scissors. Persuade someone else to restrain the conure, and carefully open one wing. The long flight feathers will be clearly apparent. Cut across these in a straight line, a few centimetres away from the wing itself, and leave the outermost and longest flight feathers intact. When the wing is then closed, the clipping will not be clearly discernible, yet the conure's power of flight will be restricted. This temporary handicap will be removed when the flight feathers are moulted, but by this stage, the conure should be well established in the home.

A tame bird will sit on a finger in the cage, generally making no attempt to bite. Its claws may be rather sharp, however, so you may want to wear a thin glove, at least at first as a precaution. Persuading the conure to sit on your finger is largely a matter of getting the bird to see this simply as an extension of its perch.

Start by extending your finger along the perch near the conure, and slowly lift the bird's toes. It should then attempt to transfer across onto your finger, as you try to displace its grip gently. An older bird will be much more reluctant and is more likely to simply retreat back to the sides of the cage. With patience, however, you should be able to win the conure's confidence, provided that it is not an adult.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

This parrot continues to be one of the most popular choices for pet birds. And while there are many other types of birds competing for adoption, here are 5 reasons it continues to be at the top of the list for adoption.

Colorful---Like their name suggests, they add a vibrant splash of color to a room whether they are sitting still or flying about. They don't start out that way. So if you adopt a young bird, don't be disappointed with the all the green feathers you're likely to see. This is nature's way of helping them survive by allowing them to blend in more easily with the trees.

They eventually turn to a stunning array of vibrant yellows, gold, oranges, and blues. Their mature colors dazzle the eye.

Manageable Size---Most birds at maturity are right around 12 inches long and weigh a whopping 4 ounces.

Easy To Train---Known for their high level of intelligence, they learn quickly and with gentle and consistent training many can be taught to do pretty complex tricks. They love and need the attention, and the ground rules for behavior should be laid from the beginning and enforced gently and consistently adhered to by all family members.

Great Personalities---They are fun-loving and very active. However, "playing dead" has given many an owner near heart failure only to discover they are merely enjoying a snooze. They socialize well with humans, and children who know how to handle them. Interaction with children should always be supervised by a knowledgeable adult.

They can sometimes choose a favorite owner, but as long as all members of the family continue to interact, this should not cause a problem. That being said, each bird has its own personality. And what may be usual for most Conures may or may not be the same for the bird you adopt.

Reasonably Priced---Everything is relative, but as exotic birds go, Conures range in price from $250 to $350 when purchased from a reputable breeder. Pet stores are also an option, but having a veterinarian check them over before finalizing the adoption is recommended.

Adopting a rescue bird is another option, but unfortunately, many of these birds have behavioral problems of their own or some caused by previous owners. Many times they are older birds and have developed habits that are nearly impossible to change. Acquiring a bird in this way is not recommended for the first time bird owner.

More than not, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to this parrot. And making them part of the family typically adds a lot of sunshine to life.

Description This parrot continues to be one of the most popular choices for a pet bird. And while there are many other types of birds competing for adoption, here are 5 reasons it continues to be at the top of the list for adoption.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Sun Conure is one of the most popular pet birds around. Their energy, intelligence, and beauty make them a great addition to the family. The following 3 supplies are essential for making your home a healthy and happy environment for them.

A Steel Cage - The right cage can make a huge difference in how happy, safe, and engaged your bird is day in and day out. Steel is the preferred material. It is easy to clean and there are no worries about toxicity if and when your pet tries to chew on the bars.

Its size should allow your Conure to fly without fear of damaging its wings, and tall enough for it to move from one level to another. The minimum height should be about twice as high as their length or 24 inches. The minimum width and depth should be approximately 20 inches. However, the bigger the cage you provide the better life your avian friend will have.

At first, it might appear that the cage is an area where you can cut costs. This is so not true. These features in a cage will make for a happier pet because it has space to move naturally. This will help your bird stay physically and emotionally healthy.

Toys - The more types of entertainment you can provide the more engaged and stimulated your sun-colored flyer will be. Toys are designed to emulate things it would attract their attention while flying about in the wild.

Nooks or soft fuzzy objects are great for the single bird. Brightly colored hanging contraptions with bells and mirrors will peak their curiosity. Sleep tents are great to provide for cozy nights. Perches and swings will also keep them active. Objects that require them to find food inside are favorites and can keep them occupied for hours.

There is no shortage of interesting toys. Try a few things to see what your pet responds to and take it from there. Toys should be rotated in and out of the cage frequently before boredom sets in. Remove damaged toys from the cage so they don't cause injury.

A HEPA Air Purifier - If your bird can't breathe, nothing else matters. Every home has indoor pollutants like dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, seasonal pollen, and possibly dander from other pets. In the wild, these would not be a problem. They would simply dissipate into the atmosphere or the birds would fly away.

In captivity, unless you take steps to actively and continually remove particles the additional particles and odors that your pet will generate will literally make the air thick. Birds' air passages are incredibly small and so it does not take much to cause them to become clogged.

A purifier that contains a high-efficiency particle arresting (HEPA) filter, as well as additional filters for particles and odors, can potentially add years to your bird's life... and its owners' lives as well.

Having your bird room contain these 3 products is the best start you can make towards responsible ownership. And your bird will love you for it.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

When considering the parrot family, my personal favorite bird happens to be the sun conure. Sun conures are known for their unique and remarkable colored plumage, their admirable intelligence, and their nature of being playful and loving. A sun conure parrot can make a great pet for your entire family if you take the time to discover and learn the basic sun conure care methods outlined in this article.

Basic Sun Conure Care starts with the knowledge of your bird and some brief sun conure facts. For starters, the sun conure parrot measures only about a foot long from its head to its tail.

They have a rather large head with a black beak and its plumage is strikingly colorful with lots of yellows, oranges, and greens. It is indeed a very beautiful bird and requires utmost care and maintenance.

Bathing Sun Conures

Sun conures love bathing and will not hesitate to bathe in their own water bowl if you do not provide them with a bathing dish. Another suggestion for bathing sun conures is to spray them with a water bottle using a soft mist which they will ultimately enjoy!

Sun Conure Cage

Next, on our sun conure care list is the sun conure cage requirements. I would suggest a small cage no larger than 20 inches long by 20 inches wide and about 22-24 inches high. Make sure to include some perches inside the cage and plenty of toys. That's right, sun conure birds love playing with toys so be sure to hang some nooks and chewable toys for your bird to play with.

Sun Conure Diet

One of the most important aspects of basic sun conure care is the sun conure diet. A good base pellet diet is a great way to start. However, they will also enjoy nourishment from fortified parrot seed as well.

A healthy sun conure diet not only consists of pellets and seeds but also includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Just be sure to NEVER feed your sun conure bird avocado, iceberg lettuce, cabbage or parsley. These foods will be harmful to your sun conure bird so please avoid them at all costs.

Training Sun Conures

As I mentioned earlier, sun conure parrots are highly intelligent birds. Words cannot even describe how smart these little birds are. They love playing and being held by their owners and are so open and willing to learn tricks and even how to talk. Though they have a cute squeaky voice, it is amazing how fast a sun conure bird can be taught to speak. They truly enjoy performing their newly acquired tricks for their owners as long as you praise them with a treat every time they correctly perform a trick. Spending about 15 minutes a day with your sun conure bird teaching them words and tricks will surely make your sun conure a happy bird.

Keep in Mind

These are only basic sun conure care tips and while they are the essential methods of keeping a sun conure bird healthy and happy, there are hundreds of tips and tricks that have been developed over the years from expert sun conure parrot owners and trainers whose expertise in sun conure care is top notch.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

A green-cheeked conure family. Bird #2 from the left is the father, bird #5 is the mother, birds #1, #3 and #4 are siblings. The different coloring on bird #1 is a natural mutation(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Conures are very sociable by nature and love interacting with their owners, which is one of the reasons they are so popular as companion birds. However, because they constantly crave human interaction, they can be quite demanding of your time and attention. Hand-raised conures make fantastic pets, mainly because they are imprinted on humans, and quite honestly, believe that they are human.

Some species, such as the sun conures, can become extremely vocal in their efforts to get your attention, and this is something that should be considered before taking on the responsibility of a bird that requires lots of love and attention. If you are unable to commit a good deal of your time to a companion that will reward you with lots of pleasure, then consider getting a less demanding pet, as a neglected conure will result in stress for both the bird and the owner.

Diet

It is best to provide your conure with a well-balanced diet consisting of whole grain cereals, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds to keep it in a healthy condition. Commercial seed and pellet mixes should be supplemented with fresh fruit and veggies. Fresh apple, corn on the cob and sprouted seeds will all be relished by your pet conure. Commercial pigeon mixes, consisting of corn, a variety of peas, and sunflower seeds can be cooked up and fed to your conure as a healthy part of his daily diet. Avoid feeding your conure milk products, which can cause sour crop. Chocolate, alcohol, and onions are also a no-no, and avocado pear is highly toxic to parrots and can kill your bird instantly, so never ever let your bird eat avo.

General Health

Keep you conure's cage away from draughts and out of direct sunlight. Place his cage in a central area of the house so that he is part of daily household activities. Tobacco smoke, aerosol fumes, and household cleaners can all negatively affect your bird's health, so try to avoid these around your bird where possible. Your bird needs plenty of sleep, so if you are a night owl, make sure your bird's cage is covered, and placed in a quiet dark corner at night time so that his rest is undisturbed. If your conure is going to spend a lot of time out of his cage, consider trimming his wings so that he cannot fly off into the sunset. This is for his own good, as he may fly into a window and injure, or even kill himself; or fly off, where his chances of survival are limited. If your bird is to be housed in an aviary, then wing trimming is not recommended, as a free flight is necessary.

Choosing a Cage

Although conures are small in size, they require a fairly large cage as they are active birds and require lots of stimulating toys to prevent them from becoming bored. A small cage would quickly become too cluttered and restrict their movement. There are some wonderful cages on the market that offer open-up play-tops or play-gym combinations allowing your bird to move in and out of the cage freely. Choose a sturdy cage, that will withstand the wrath of your conure's beak. When choosing a cage, avoid painted or plastic coated wire cages as your conure will chew at the bars and can ingest this, which can compromise his health. Choose a cage with a bar spacing suitable for the size of your bird. Smaller conures require cages with a narrow gap between bars to prevent them escaping. Finally, look for a cage that is easy to clean.

Conures are extremely playful, intelligent, and active, to provide a range of toys to keep them stimulated. These can include chewing toys, such as rawhide and wooden toys; things they can climb on, such as ropes, chains, and wooden ladders; toys that make a noise, such as bells and shakers; and swings, which give them hours of pleasure, and provide good exercise too.

Playtime

Conures are extremely playful and fun-loving. They have a mischievous air about them and can be real clowns. They are intelligent and will learn tricks very quickly. They often roll over onto their backs in the palm of your hand. Conures also tend to be real water babies, so keep a spray mist bottle handy in hot weather, and provide a bird bath for them to splash around in. They will even join their owners in the shower, but just be careful not to overdo it, and make sure they dry off in a warm, draught-free area.

Friday, May 18, 2018

In general, conure parrots are a group of small to large-sized parrots. They are natives of the Central and South America and sometimes they are called parakeets although they are really two different entities. However, the term Conure has already existed far long before parakeet did. The term really meant cone-tailed. Among all the parrots, they are the ones that adapt to changes in the weather and diet the most.

Before going to the advantages and disadvantages of Conure Parrots as pets, let's look at some useful facts first.

1 - Size

These birds size is determined by measuring the length from the tips of the beak and tail. Usually, their average size is about 11.8 inches (30 cm). On the average, their weight is about 2.2 lbs or equivalent to 1 kg. When you measure their tails' length, they are usually as long as their bodies.

They are active birds and so they will usually need larger cage so that they will be able to exercise even when inside. The necessary spacing for the cages should be 1/2 to 7/8 for them to be able to climb with no worries of escape or caught in between.

2 - Life Span

They usually have a lifespan of around 35 years or more. This depends on how well you take care of them.

Advantages as Pets

One of the advantages of these birds as pets is their majestically colorful plumage, which is really pleasing to the eye. They are full of affection and can really accommodate just about anyone in the family. They breed well and can produce great offspring. They are easy to handle because of their uncomplicated nature especially their diet, which consists mainly of organic pellets, fruits and vegetables, and seeds. They are highly intelligent and are capable of learning tricks.

Disadvantages as Pets

Since they are highly social birds, attention and regular social interaction are needed. They are considered best only for people who have time to spend at home for their supervision, training, and exercise. The latter two are essential so that you can keep your bird from boredom otherwise, the birds will develop bad habits. They need a lot of activities but to counter this, you can give them toys as well as let them out of the cage every once in a while.

As long as you have the patience and persistence to put up with them, they could make excellent pets for you.

By Gary CaineFor the most part, conures share similar personalities and it's more the color and size of the different species that is the deciding factor on which parrot to buy. See pictures and learn more about the unique characteristics of these conures.Green Conure - Green Cheek Conure - Jenday ConureArticle Source: EzineArticles

Sunday, May 13, 2018

I have always believed that everybody needs a pet in life. Be it a dog, a cat or even a bird, a pet of some sort or another can be a wonderful stress relief. Just sitting and relaxing with your pet can be a nice way to end a really hectic day. A lot of people don't have space for a dog or a cat and for them, a bird would be a wonderful choice. But to pick just one type of bird is a hard choice. Some are too loud and others too large while others are just too darn messy. A bird that I think isn't too large or messy is the sun conure birds. Sun conure birds are just the right size to be at home in an apartment or a house without leaving the owner feeling cramped.

Sun conure birds can be found in different parts of the world such as Mexico, South and Central America and even into the West Indies. In these regions, the sun conure birds roam freely in large groups that can range from twenty birds on up. The sun conure birds like to live in groups all year long, even during the mating season and can be found that way in the wild. Sun Conure birds were actually given their name because of their bright colors.

A sun conure possesses a variety of colors ranging from bright shades of green, golden yellow, blue, and orange. Generally, a younger bird will have more green feathers than an older bird who has feathers that are bright, iridescent reddish-orange and yellow. A baby sun conure will start off with the feathers that are greener although at about six to eight months of age they begin to molt into the vibrant adult colors. That is a great way to tell if the bird you're looking at is young or aged a little bit.

Unlike some of the bigger birds, sun conure birds don't have a wide range of speaking ability. They can speak some words although do better at imitating noises such as a doorbell or a microwave oven. Their voices are more of a screech and very birdlike when compared to some of the other breeds of birds. But they do let you know that they're happy with the screeching voice of theirs. They aren't exactly a quiet bird as they screech when they're happy, when they're mad or when they're bored or really excited. Sun conure birds are just a more vocal member of the parrot family.

Sun conure birds would be a great pet as they have a friendly nature that just likes to be around people. And if treated right and well taken care of they can live for about twenty-five to thirty years. That would make the sun conure birds a great lifelong companion.

Friday, May 11, 2018

A pet Mitred Parakeet (also known as the Mitred Conure). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many in aviculture will tell you that nothing compares to the satisfaction of raising a healthy, loving bird, but there is one bigger thrill that the parrot enthusiast can enjoy - the discovery of a new species. There is no need to travel to the uncharted territories of space to find unidentified life forms, but on the other hand, discoveries are few and far between. This article introduces a couple of new species discovered in 2006.

Study of new species contributes to the knowledge base of microevolutionary patterns and processes of parrot evolution and can be used to test the relative contribution that different microevolutionary forces have in shaping species.

Camiguin Hanging-parrot, Loriculus (philippensis) camiguinensis

This parrot was first described in 2006 and is found on the island of Camiguin in the Philippines. It was identified as a separate species from the Philippine Hanging Parrot (Loriculus camiguinensis). It is a mostly green bird measuring around five and a half inches. It was discovered in Camiguin's forest in the coconut plantations, and there are thought to be a population of around 2,000.

Tucuman Mitred Conure, Aratinga mitrata tucumana

First described in 2006 this is one of the Mitred Parakeet (Aratinga mitrata), a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It has mainly green plumage and measures up to 15 inches. It was discovered in its native habitat in Tucuman in Argentina but is thought to be in Peru also. It likes to stay in dry areas of tree and forest. It can be distinguished by its green cheeks and red coloring that is limited to its forehead.

These new species are not suitable parrots as pets, and it will take time for aviculture to lead to domestication.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

If you have a Red Throated Parrot, you have a very rare and beautiful pet bird. To raise and enjoy your bird, you must be willing to be patient, work hard, and dedicate a lot of your time. But you will be rewarded with the affection of an incredibly colorful and personable companion.

Here is a guide for its care and health that will help you enjoy a long and wonderful life together.

Diet

The Red-Throated Conure will thrive on fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Supplement this with a high-quality pellet mix. Table food is also good including eggs, pasta, bread, crackers. Nuts make an excellent treat when given occasionally.

Don’t forget to vary their diets to keep their interest high. And try to make their food as visually appealing as possible by mixing different colors and textures.

One of the most nutritious food sources is sprouted seeds. They are low in fat as they sprout and offer a different set of nutrients daily as they continue to grow. They are truly a food that keeps on giving. You can buy seeds that are already sprouted, or you can opt to do it yourself. But they are a wonderful investment in the health of your Conure.

Avoid avocado, peanuts, caffeine, chocolate, rhubarb and foods that are high in sugar and salt. These can prove to be fatal.

Living Quarters

The bigger the cage, the happier your Red Throated beauty will be. The cage should be large enough for your bird to spread its wings fully in any direction that it faces. A variety of horizontal perches at different levels will allow for climbing, but they must not cramp your Conure’s ability to spread its wings inside the cage.

They also need to spend several hours a day outside the cage. Providing your bird with play areas and perches outside the cage in an area that is bird safe is an excellent way to keep your bird fit, engaged, socialized, and healthy.

Human Interaction

Making a happy home for this parrot means dedicating several hours of your day each day to interact with your bird. This can include talking, petting, training, or just hanging out together as you read, pay bills, watch TV, or work on your laptop.

Scheduling this time every day will increase the level of trust between bird and owner and will help your bird remain tame and relaxed around you and other family members.

Because they are members of a flock in the wild, they need and expect this social interaction. By spending this time with your bird, you are more likely to avoid behavioral issues such as aggression, feather plucking, and screaming.

If you are unable to dedicate at least this amount of time with your Conure, choose another bird as its companion, or rethink your choice of bird.

Disease Prevention

Red Throated Conures are subject to a number of diseases. And even though there is no guarantee, there are many things that you can do to lessen the chance that disease and infection will cut your Red Throated Conure‘s life short.

Schedule an appointment at least every 6 months with an avian vet. Remove fresh food from the cage after an hour to reduce the chance of your bird ingesting mold and mildew that has grown on the food. Clean the cage daily to eliminate small pieces of dried droppings from becoming an airborne and potentially spreading disease.

Filter your bird’s air to keep its air passages clear by removing a large number of airborne pollutants that are present with a bird in captivity. Filtering the air continuously will help your Red Throated Conure avoid respiratory infections that can be so deadly.

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Sun Parakeet (also known as Sun Conure) perching on a branch and eating white flowers at Hamilton Zoo, New Zealand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The sun conure is a small bird from the parrot family. It is known for its remarkable color patterns and its intelligence. This bird can be a great addition to your family if you learn what it needs and how to care for it.

The sun conure is only about twelve inches long from head to tail. They have a large head and beak with very striking colors. They usually have lots of yellow, orange and green on them. Their beak is black and their feet are gray. This bird originates from the eastern parts of South America, mostly by the Amazon River. It isn't found in as many places as it used to be found because people came and took the birds to sell them. They used to be found in Southeast Venezuela, Northeast Brazil, Northern Amazon, Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana.

One of the best things about this bird besides its beauty is how affectionate it is. They are extremely social and absolutely love to interact with their owners. They will just sit on your shoulder for hours and even like to be held! If you get this bird you will have to spend plenty of time with it. This definitely isn't a shy bird.

Because of how smart this bird is, it is even capable of doing tricks! Some can even be potty trained. They do have the capability to talk but they use a somewhat squeaky voice. The sun conure loves to perform for people and play. They also love to take baths so you should provide a bathing dish. If you don't put a bathing dish in their cage then they will splash around in their water bowl. You can also mist them with a water bottle because they truly enjoy this.

The minimum cage size for this bird is 20 inches long by 20 inches wide by 24 inches tall. You should put several perches in the cage of various sizes. Sun conures also love toys so make sure you get some for their cage. Try to get lots of toys so they will have something to do. They even like to play with things like toilet paper rolls!

You should feed your sun conure a base diet of pellet formula. You can also feed fortified parrot seed. These birds will need to be fed fruits and vegetables in addition to this base diet. You can't just feed them seeds and expect them to be healthy. Also, don't leave any fresh foods in their cage for more than a few hours though. Also make sure they have fresh water at all times. Make sure you never feed your bird avocado, cabbage, parsley and iceberg lettuce.

Sun conures do make really fun, fascinating pets, but you should be aware that they can be very noisy birds. They usually will start to scream in the mornings and evenings. It is an extremely loud scream. You have to be prepared for this. You also have to remember that they require lots of attention. If you take good care of your bird it can live to be about thirty years old.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

For those of you who own a sun conure or have recently purchased a baby parrot, I'm sure you will agree that they are lovely birds to have as pets. Although a sun conure can become quite feisty and loud at times, they are still beautiful parrots to keep in the house and uplift your day. A sun conure always looks like it is smiling at you. There is magic in their eyes and expressions and they give you a sense of warmth and love. They are cute, cuddly and lovable plus they will be open to your touch and warm embrace most of the time. And with some hard work and dedication, you can actually teach a sun conure to talk and perform tricks. Below I will cover some of the basic strategies for teaching your bird to perform sun conure tricks and how to train conures to talk.

Praise your Conure:

The first thing you have to learn about teaching sun conure tricks is that parrots will only associate progress with praise. Your bird may perform a really cool trick or do something cute and funny that you will want it to repeat on cue, but it will never know that it was appreciated unless you show it praise. A common form of praise is to smile and speak the words; 'good bird' or 'good boy /girl' with an uptone sound in your voice. Follow the praise with a treat. Sun conures love treats especially if they are only fed to them sparingly. Your parrot will associate the act they just did follow the praise and reward they got and they will remember this for next time.

Do Not Over Train:

The second thing you have to understand about teaching sun conure tricks is that you cannot overwork your bird. Forcing your parrot to repeat words or perform tricks can make him or her frustrated and exhausted. A solid 10 to 15 minutes of training a day is all that is required for your parrot to slowly learn how to perform sun conure tricks. Some days they may not respond well to the training and you have to be aware of this. In that case, limit the training to 5 minutes and do not harass them again until the next day. Do not forget to show praise and give them treats.

Never Scream at your Parrot:

Finally, when teaching sun conures to talk, you want to make sure to never scream at the bird. Never raise your voice to the point where you sound angry. This will only cause your conure to associate anger with your command and it will be afraid of performing for you for fear that you will become upset. Be patient and kind with your conure and gently repeat simple words that they could learn to speak such as; 'hello', 'goodbye', 'i love you', etc. Keep the words or phrases to a minimum and use an uptone or singing tone to them. Birds associate tones with phrases and will remember them better than if you were to repeat them sounding flat, monotone or dull.

Training sun conures to talk is a well sought out skill and can be quite challenging at first. Many parrot owners give up trying to teach them tricks because they lack the patience or experience to deal with this type of parrot. However, it is not impossible to teach a sun conure to talk and you too can learn the skills necessary to turn your pet into a show bird. Click here to discover the secret coveted skills of teaching sun conure tricks!

Another common name for the Green-cheeked Conure is the Green-cheeked Parakeet. This small parrot is common in captivity, where it's known for being playful and intelligent. In the wild, this social species occurs in central South America where it often forms large flocks in the treetops. There are five subspecies.

Physical Description:

This bird is usually between 9 - 10 inches in length and weighs close to 70 g. Its coloration is primarily green. It has a reddish-brown forehead and its nape is brownish green. The cheeks are a bright green and there are dull green patches on the sides of the neck, throat and upper breast. The tail is maroon, wing feathers have a bluish tinge and the breast is grayish. There is purple on the belly and the beak and ear covers are brown. Sexes are similar, and it is difficult to determine males from females. The juveniles have duller plumage with darker irises. They also exhibit less of the maroon coloration on the abdomen.

Diet:

A bird feeds on a diet of fruits, such as bananas and raisins, and seeds, such as sunflower and hemp seeds.

Habitat:

This parrot ranges from west central and south Mato Grosso, Brazil, through portions of northern and eastern Bolivia, and down to northwestern Argentina. It inhabits forests and other woodlands, congregating in large flocks.

Reproduction:

The mating season for the Green-cheeked Conure begins in February and several matings are possible. Females lay 4 - 6 eggs per clutch and average an incubation period of about 24 days.

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Sun Parakeet (also known as Sun Conure) in a zoo.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you look in a book of birds it's amazing at how many beautiful birds there are. There are small birds, ones that are great pets and ones that are just breathtaking. When you're flipping through there and find the parrots, one that will catch your eye is the sun conure parrot. These parrots are a lot smaller than the large blue or green macaws but are just as beautiful. If you want a parrot but don't want something too big or too expensive, a sun conure parrot might be the bird for you.

The sun conure parrots can be found all over the world in pet stores, but to find them in their natural habitat you would need to travel to Central and South America, Mexico or even into the West Indies. This is where these parrots reside in large flocks of up to twenty or more birds all year round, even during the mating season. When you see a large flock of conure parrots flying overhead towards the horizon they look like a beautiful sunset themselves. Actually, that is how they got their name. The bright iridescent colors of orange, red, yellow and green that cover their bodies are the same colors that you would experience when watching a beautiful sunset over the horizon. When a sun conure parrot is young there are far more green feathers that cover their bodies than anything. It isn't until they reach approximately six to eight months of age that they begin to molt and acquire the vibrant adult colors.

One of the noticeable differences between a conure and some of other parrots is that they don't have a very large speech capability. Their voices are far more screechy and birdlike than many of the other parrots. Now don't think that the sun conure parrots don't like to entertain you with sound though. They love to imitate noises such a doorbell or microwave. These parrots are able to learn some language, just not very much and the voice that they possess isn't one that most would love to listen to. Like I said, the sun conure parrots have a very screechy voice which they love to use to let you know what they're thinking. If your sun conure is happy, it'll screech to let you know. Unfortunately, it will also screech if it is mad, annoyed, bored or just trying to tell you good morning. For this reason, a conure might not be the best pet for someone who lives close to people that don't like to hear birds.

A sun conure parrot would be a wonderful bird to own because they do really love to be around people. Some parrots are just as content to be alone or with another parrot but the sun conure parrots love human companionship. Their lifespan is about twenty-five to thirty years if taken care of properly and so could be a good pet to have for many years.